Forced Disruption of Anatomy Education in Australia and New Zealand: An Acute Response to the Covid-19 Pandemic

Australian and New Zealand universities commenced a new academic year in February/March 2020 largely with “business as usual.” The subsequent Covid-19 pandemic imposed unexpected disruptions to anatomical educational practice. Rapid change occurred due to government-imposed physical distancing regulations from March 2020 that increasingly restricted anatomy laboratory teaching practices. Anatomy educators in both these countries were mobilized to adjust their teaching approaches. This study on anatomy education disruption at pandemic onset within Australia and New Zealand adopts a social constructivist lens. The research question was “What are the perceived disruptions and changes made to anatomy education in Australia and New Zealand during the initial period of the Covid-19 pandemic, as reflected on by anatomy educators?.” Thematic analysis to elucidate “the what and why” of anatomy education was applied to these reflections. About 18 anatomy academics from ten institutions participated in this exercise. The analysis revealed loss of integrated “hands-on” experiences, and impacts on workload, traditional roles, students, pedagogy, and anatomists' personal educational philosophies. The key opportunities recognized for anatomy education included: enabling synchronous teaching across remote sites, expanding offerings into the remote learning space, and embracing new pedagogies. In managing anatomy education's transition in response to the pandemic, six critical elements were identified: community care, clear communications, clarified expectations, constructive alignment, community of practice, ability to compromise, and adapt and continuity planning. There is no doubt that anatomy education has stepped into a yet unknown future in the island countries of Australia and New Zealand.     

Keeping Users at the Center: Developing a Multimedia Interface for Informed Consent

Viewing “informing” as a process to protect patients and support autonomy, we undertook a user-centered design process to develop online support for informed consent in pediatric Phase I research trials. Challenges included (a) delivering accurate information to people unfamiliar with medical terminology; (b) delivering this information humanely under time constraints and heightened emotions; (c) allowing users control over the information, while ensuring availability of legally required information. We addressed these challenges through analyses of audience, task, and information design.     

Academic library MOOC services and success scale

Education and Information Technologies - The benefits of MOOCs have attracted many Higher Education institutions globally to use them as a means of increasing efficiency of education delivery and...     

Resourcing inclusion: Introducing finance perspectives to inclusive education policy rhetoric

Across the Central Eastern European region, inclusive education has become a policy aim. Europeanization, influence of United Nations agencies, and shifts away from Soviet models of education have led to new policy aspirations for the inclusion of children with special education needs (SEN). At the same time, policies in many countries often lack the infrastructure or internal mechanisms required for successful implementation (such as funding, professional capacity, and public will). In this article, we examine one of these challenges: funding. Through simulations based on data collected by the authors in the Republic of Serbia, we examine approaches for funding children with SEN in inclusive classrooms without losing the supports provided to them in segregated settings. Our findings illustrate the possible approaches to adequate costing of inclusive education policies and potentially serve as a methodological reference beyond specific national contexts. They are, therefore, potentially applicable across Eastern European countries.

     

South Africa: First steps in the development of an inclusive education system

In this paper we trace the development of policy and legislation since 1994, which marked the introduction of a unitary non-racial system of education and training in South Africa. Policy development in this context has been guided by the universal principles of a human right to basic education, equality and the recognition of the democratic rights of parents, teachers and all learners, including those with disabilities. A major paradigm shift in education policy has reflected a move from a dual, special and general education system towards the transformation of general education to recognise and address the diverse learning needs of all learners. There have been several government initiatives aimed at restructuring and strengthening the general curriculum. This includes the introduction of a new national curriculum to accommodate a diverse range of system and learner needs. The most recent education policy recommends a shift in thinking about 'special needs and support services' in this country towards a commitment to the development of an inclusive education and training system. The real challenge which faces this country will be in the implementation of these recommendations.     

Special Education–Non-Special Education Achievement Gap in Math: Effects of Reporting Methods,Analytical Techniques,and Reclassification

Federal regulations indicate that the achievement gap must be closed between subgroups, including the gap between special education and non-special education students. We explored the ways in which achievement trends are influenced by three methods of reporting (cross-sectional, cohort–static, and cohort–dynamic). We also investigated (a) the ways in which achievement gaps change when different analytical techniques (proficiency levels, scale scores, effect size) are used, and (b) the relationship between student achievement and the extent to which students’ special education status changes across years. We conclude by discussing the practical and policy implications of using the three methods for reporting data about the performance gap.     

Enhancement of myeloperoxidase activity in WBCS in oral cancer patients treated with Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF)—A pilot study

In a pilot study with five oral cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy (RT) three were given Granulocyte Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) as a protective agent to reduce the mucosal inflammation during radiotherapy. The myeloperoxidase (MPO) enzyme activity in WBC was quantitated. The three patients showed a significant increase in the MPO activity when compared with two untreated controls indicating the efficacy of GM-CSF as a protective agent. It is suggested that further detailed studies with larger number of patients would be useful.     

The kinetic family drawing: The reliability of an objective scoring system

This study shows that it is possible for an objective scoring system to be developed for the KFD with high interjudge reliability. Since interrater reliabilities tend to be high, it appears that differences in drawings may be due to a child's mood changes, rather than to the instability of the instrument.